Product Information
SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Service Center Implementation Sequence
Greetings
This post contains steps to implement SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Service Center feature.
What is Employee Central Service Center?
Employee Central Service Center is a support solution that provides an interface between employees and the HR within the organization.
For Employees, It provides a faster way to get answers for all the queries for all the HR-related questions. For HR Team, they have consolidated solutions for providing answers to all the employees questions.
How does it work?
Employees can have access to a search, customize, context-sensitive knowledge base to get answers to their questions. If they can’t find the answer in the knowledge base, they can contact their HR service center directly by creating a ticket, over a phone, or sending an email.
Prerequisites
- SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central instance.
- SAP Cloud for Customer tenants
- SAP Cloud Platform account
- SAP Cloud Platform Integration account
Service Center Architecture Overview
Below are the steps to be followed to configure this feature.
Integrating SAP SuccessFactors and SAP Cloud Portal for ASK HR application
Step 1 : Configuring SuccessFactors Extensions
Generating Integration Token
Automated creation of the extension account by using the Integration Token generated from the HCP Account
Generate the Integration Token in the HCP Customer Account -> Integration Tokens -> New SAP SuccessFactors Token
A pop-up appears , Choose “Use SAP SuccessFactors Identity provider” and a warning message appears click on “Yes”.
Integration Token gets generated as shown below
Step 2: Extension Configuration using Integration Token
Place the token in Provisioning at Extension Package Configuration and Save the settings
Login to provisioning -> Extension package configuration -> Add token -> Click on Add button
Note :
After b1908 release, Once the Integration Token is executed in Extension Configuration it auto-enables “Enable Custom Execution Module Integration” from SF provisioning.
Step 3: Verifying Web Services Permissions
SF Provisioning -> Company settings -> Web Services, Enable the 3 highlighted permissions
Note :
After b1908 release, Once the Integration Token is executed in Extension Configuration it auto fills the URL for Authorized SP Assertion Consumer Service Settings in SF Provisioning.
Step 4 : Extension Permission
Login to SF instance account and search for Manage Permissions Groups
Add the required members searching by username and click done. So now the added members will be the administrators for customer extension module (Extensions admin)
Go to Manage Permissions Roles assigned to ECSC Admin and enable the below permissions
Extension Directory
You will be able to access Extension Directory via people search, as you need to type Extensions as shown below
You need to click on link for accessing Extension Directory
Step 5: Enable RBP permission for Admin and Employee Roles in SuccessFactors for ECSC Admin
Enable the below-mentioned permission in Manage Permission Roles for Admin role
Enable the below mentioned permission in Manage Permission Roles for Employee Role
Step 6: Subscribe Ask HR HTML5 application and JAVAPROXY application
After you have established the generic extension between SCP Cloud Platform and your SAP SuccessFactors instance you need to enable the employee workspace application/ASK HR application on your onboarded SAP Cloud Platform extension sub-account.
Procedure
1.Create a ticket in the SAP Support portal ticket on component LOD-SF-EC-SRV as per details in KBA – 2591107 – How do I request Employee Central Service Center (ASK HR) Subscription
2.Our provider account contains 2 applications that are subscribed to your sub-account. One is the JAVAPROXY application that is required to ensure security compliance and the other is the Ask HR application which is the end-user interface. After you have been subscribed to the relevant applications, you can view the application in your extension sub-account.
Subscription Completed
Step 7:Activate EC Service Center/Ask HR application (via the Extension Manager)
Launch the Custom External Module on the Homepage -> Click on the Plus + icon to create an Extension -> Select SF Starter Extension template -> Create
Content Management -> Starter Page
Go to Apps -> Click on + icon -> You can create New App
New App gets creates as highlighted
Once New App is created you can select “askhr” from App Resource and enter the details accordingly.
Note :
- Ensure intent of ASK HR app is Home & show and catalog is added, before publishing.
- If you select the language ‘Arabic’, ensure that you have upgraded the SAPUI5 version to1.52.
- For other languages upgrade ASK HR to SAPUI5 1.71
Publish the page, Select the askhr app to navigate to the top right corner to push the Publish button.
Click on the “Publish and Open’ button
Step 7: Enable Service Center Add-On application on SF Homepage
SF Provisioning -> Company Settings -> Enable Service Center Add-on
Target URL is taken from the published AskHR template:
https://flpnwc-<Sub-account ID>.dispatcher.hana.ondemand.com/sites?siteId=00afe000-0000-0b00-0000-0cd0dfb000a0
Copy the URL and paste in provisioning
You will be able to see ASK HR hyperlink in the Homepage
Step 8:Configuring Destination in SCP
Go to destinations in your sub-account and click on import
Note :
– OpenSearch or Jam destination must be added only for the Knowledge Base feature.
– BizX_Odata, CloudForCustomer, and javaproxy are mandatory destinations.
Create destination: Bizx_Odata
Note :
After b1908 release, Once the Integration Token is executed in Extension Configuration. Local Provider Name & Signing Certificate is auto integrated to Manage OAuth2 Client Applications in SF BizX instance.
Login to SF BizX instance Admin Center -> search as Manage OAuth2 Client Applications -> Copy the API key
After the registration, the API Key is available. Provide the needed information to finalize the destination:
Client Key: API Key copied from BizX OAuth Client
Assertion Issuer: API Key copied from BizX OAuth Client
Create destination: CloudForCustomer
Kindly add C4C URL
User: C4C username
Password: C4C account password
Create destination: OpenSearch
Create destination: javaproxy
The URL needs to be taken from the Application URL’s from the subscribed javaproxy application
This is how the screen looks once all 4 destinations are added
Navigate back in your Extension account to Applications -> Subscription -> Click on askhr
Verification:
Navigate to SF instance -> Access Home Page ASK HR link and a pop-up appears as per the below screenshots
You can search Knowledge Base here
Access list of tickets
You can maintain Contact HR details
You can create an incident from Employee View
Integrating SAP Cloud for Service for ASK HR application
Step 1:Creating an employee as Business User
Navigate to Administrator -> Employees
Step 2:Create a user to be configured in SPC
Navigate to Administration -> General Settings -> Business User
Log on as an Admin user and navigate to the ‘ADMINISTRATOR’ work center
Go to section Users and click on Business Users(before to this, you should create user ECSC Admin as an employee)
Choose the Business user and assign the corresponding HR Agent role to the user.
Work Center/View ID Work Center View Name
BPM_EMPLOYEES Administrator Employees
SEOD_TICKETMD_SADL_WCVIEW Service Tickets
CRM_SERVICECATEGORIES Service Entitlements Service Categories
Step 3:Scoping
Navigate to Business Configuration Work Center -> Select Implementation Projects -> Select First Implementations -> Select Edit Project Scope (For Example : United States)
Under Scoping -> Select the below elements
Service -> Entitlement Management -> Service Level Agreements
Service -> Employee Support -> Communication Channel – Portal
Step 4:Scope Service Level Agreement
Enable “You have common service level agreements” business option
Navigate to Business Configuration -> Select Implementation Projects -> Select First Implementations -> Select Edit Project Scope-> Select Activity list
Step 4:Document types
Under Document Types -> Select Maintain Document Types
The Document Types need to be configured like this:
Document type = ‘SRRE’ Employee Support Ticket
Process Variant = Employee Support
Status Schema = Employee Support
Step 5:Ticket Status Dictionary
Select Maintain Status Dictionary Entries
The Ticket status codes are hardcoded in the application, therefore the customizing in C4C requires a very specific configuration.
Step 6:Ticket Status Schemas
Select Maintain Status Schemas
Add the below-highlighted employee support schema
Step 7:Configure Attachment Types
Navigate to Business Configuration -> Implementation Projects -> Open Activity List -> Allowed MIME Types for Document Upload
Allowed MIME Types for Document Upload
Filter for MIME Type: text/html
Activate the Basic Settings – MIME Type Check Active
Uncheck the Allowed check box
Press Save and Close
Step 8:Configure the Service Catalog
Navigate to Administration ->Service and Social Settings -> Service Categories
Click on New -> Service Category Catalog -> Under Usage, Select the ticket type as “SRRE-Employee Support” -> Maintain the Service Categories -> Add Service Category, Cause category and Object Category
Step 9:Enabling Employee Support Work Center for your Agents
Navigate to Administration -> General Settings -> Business Roles
Create Business Role for HR Agents
Assign the Work center view ‘Employee Support’ to work center ‘Service’
Assign a Business role for HR Agents to a Business User
Log on as an Admin user and navigate to the ‘ADMINISTRATOR’ work center
Go to section Users and click on Business Users(before to this, you should create HR Agent as an employee)
Choose the Business user and assign the corresponding HR Agent role to the user.
-Work Center View ID: SEOD_EMPLOYEE_SUPPORT_WCVIEW
-Work Center View ID: SEOD_TICKETMD_SADL_WCVIEW
-Work Center View ID: COD_EMPLOYEES
How to Create tickets using ASK HR app in SuccessFactors?
Login as Employee -> Click on ASK HR hyperlink in homepage -> Click on Create Ticket as below & Save
Employee view of the ticket once it’s submitted in SuccessFactors
Agent View in C4C after employee submitting the ticket in SF
Regards,
Arpitha
ARPITHA GUPTA P V thanks for the step-by-step and detailed guide?
Thanks Faisal Iqbal
Nice Blog Thanks Arpitha for providing step by step process of Service center
Thank you Partha Chinta !!
Very informative document!
Thank you Nishita Nanjappa !!
Hi Arpitha,
This is an awsome article.
Can you please let me know, can we also have ASK HR with out C4C?
Thank you.
Hi Avinash ,
Thank you, Agent workspace is controlled by C4C system.
Hence it is not possible to have ASK HR implemented without C4C.
Thanks for the Detailed Information.
Hi Prashant ,
Currently, there is no workbook available for this feature.
You can follow the same sequence as implementation handbook
Thanks Arpitha!
Thanks Arpitha for the detailed blog, I just have a small question concerning the extension. I added the integration token but when I press on the <link> in extensions in SF, I'm getting redirected to the SF homepage and not getting access to the extension page to add the ASK HR app. Any idea where did I go wrong?
Best Regards,
Ramy Berbary
Hi Ramy,
You might not have permissions to SCP system that is the reason you are directed to Homepage.
Kindly try granting permissions as per KBA
How to Grant HANA Cloud Platform(HCP/SCP) Access to SAP Product Support for ASK HR Application?
Hello,
This article is very helpful but i have a question regarding to step 6 (extensions directory). Do you have any ideas or experience with SAPUI5 issue?
When i want to publish and open the app
It says:
”
”
see in attach. Appreciate any help
best regards
Pawel
Hi Pawel Grunholz ,
There might be issue with Apps & Pages config and also check If integration between SF & SCP system is actively enabled.
Thanks,
Arpitha
hello, good blog! Can you create rules so that depending on the category of the ticket it is assigned to a certain agent?
Viridiana Lopez : I guess so, we should check from C4C supportability for the rule configuration.
Hi Viridiana,
Its possible to route ticket based on category, sub-category and custom fields if needed. Under Service & Social workcenter select "Ticket Routing Rule by Employee"
Hi Sushil Maurya,
Can you share an example rule to do that?
Thanks,
Regards,
Hi ARPITHA GUPTA P V - Are these steps still relevant with all the latest releases in SF, SCP & ECSC? We are starting to implement for a client and hoping that this blog could be helpful.
Regards,
Sudesh
Hi Sudesh Sagar , Please go through this FAQ before starting the project. This will save you a lot of time.
Thanks shyamsundar r. I will bookmark this.
Hi Sudesh Sagar , Quick question for you. What is the effort estimate you have planned for implementing EC SC(ASK HR) with KB in SAP Jam?
Hi Shyamsundar,
It hardly takes 1 hour that also I am saying maximum.
Hi ARPITHA GUPTA P V , Is there a possibility to have "Virtual Agent" in the Contact HR section? I mean, can a live person (HR agent) be able to chat with the end-user from the Ask HR application?
Hi shyamsundar r : Chat bold is not supported for ASK HR application.
Thank you Arpitha. One more doubt. Can we house this application in Workzone for HR?
Hi shyamsundar r : Currently, integration with SAP workzone is not supported. Would suggest you to raise an enhancement request via the customer community portal.
Hi
My client wants to implement EC service center and Ask HR functionality. Should I follow all the above steps or anything else is required?
Regards,
Sujata
Hi Sujata Patil ,
Yes, you need to follow all the above steps and additional steps mentioned in Implementation Guide.
Thanks,
Arpitha
Hello ARPITHA GUPTA P V can you please shared the implementation guide for this
and second i have one question in the top there are two things to do
1. Integrating SAP SuccessFactors and SAP Cloud Portal for ASK HR application
2. Integrating SAP Cloud for Service for ASK HR application (this involved business users )
these both have to be followed or just can do with step 1 your kind help required for this and specially what account do i need to have from my client can you please specify that accounts
Hi ARPITHA GUPTA P V ,
Thanks for writing the detailed blog.
Do we get to use the 'approval' and 'workflow' capabilities of C4C in ECSC also?
I couldn't find any specific reference for this. Perhaps, you could help.
Regards,
Ajinkya
Hi Ajinkya Mahajan ,
No, you will not able to use workflow feature for ECSC.
Thanks,
Arpitha
Hello ARPITHA GUPTA P V ,
If someone wants their interactions to be recorded for third party intervention for any issue. Though I am aware of email interaction where external mail id can be tagged but that won't include past communications or the chat history. Please let me know if I am missing something or there is any solution for this?
Thanks
Hi ARPITHA GUPTA P V
Please let us know if SAP SuccessFactors Employee Central Service Center can be offered to customer having SAP ERP (On Premise) as HRIS? without EC?
Hi Shankar Sasikumar ,
ECSC can implemented only on SuccessFactors Employee Central system.
Thanks,
Arpitha
Hi,
Can you please help to understand ticket assignment process in ECSC? I mean employee tickets are assigned to role or person?
Thanks
Tickets can be routed to either Team or a User using ticket routing rules.
The legacy ticketing widget service is being discontinued shortly. Apart from implementing ECSC, what other ways can we implement a ticketing solution going forward?
Please check with SAP Sales team
Hello,
Thanks for the detailed blog.
Regarding the knowledge base integration, Sharepoint / Teams can be integrated as Knowledge based ? I don't find the information anywhere..
Thanks,
Arnaud
No, you will not be able to integrate Sharepoint/Teams for Knowledge Base. Only Mindtouch and SAP JAM is supported.
Hi ARPITHA GUPTA P V,
Thanks for the useful blog post!
I would like to ask is it possible to create custom UI Theme for the AskHR different from the SuccessFactors UI Theme, if yes, how can we?
Thank you in advance!
Attila
Hi Attila,
No, it's not possible to use a custom UI theme only specific to ASK HR. As the theme remains the same for SF& ASK HR.
Thanks,
Arpitha
Hi - we're really struggling to find proper documentation for the ECSC AskHR module - some real basic things that we'd like to change like email notification templates, its impossible to find any guides out there.. hope you can help
Thanks in advance!
Dren
Hi Dren ,
Looks like you can change the e-mail notification template. Please check with SAP C4C team for the possibility.
Thanks,
Arpitha
Arpitha - Does the EC Service Center work on/with the NS2 platform? If so, do you have any implementation information? Thank you!
Hi Dawn Rose ,
ESCS does not work with NS2 platform.
Thanks,
Arpitha
Great Blog! All relevant information are consolidated in one place. Thank you very much!
Hi Arpitha - thanks for the detailed blog post, truly appreciated!!
Do you know if there's a way to configure the Ticket title to be editable by Agent? A lot of times end-users name the ticket something that's not helpful and it takes extra work to read through description for our triage team to determine who to send the ticket to, and then that Agent complains how the ticket title is not helpful..
Hi Dren,
I guess it's editable from C4C system, such that Agent can edit the ticket title accordingly.
Thanks,
Arpitha
Thanks Arpitha - any chance you can show me where in C4C is it editable? Is it on config/Admin side? Basically I want to enable it to be editable for agents
SAP Support pretty much told me its a standard behavior that once the Ticket is created and saved, the Subject/Title cannot be edited anymore.
Hi Dren,
I confirm that title of the ticket is not editable from C4C system as well. I suggest you to raise an enhancement request via the customer community portal.
Hi Arpitha,
Firstly, I wanted to say thanks for this blog! Even though it's now 2023, it's still proving to be super helpful.
I have a question regarding setting up AskHR for production purposes. When I set it up in BTP for our test environment, everything worked like a charm. However, when I set up a new BTP subaccount for production, I noticed that "Cloud Portal Service" is missing from the subaccount services list.
After doing some research, I came across note 3152968 - Applications missing from BTP cockpit, which appears to describe the same issue. As the resolution suggests, it seems that Cloud Portal Service is a default application to the subaccount.
So, I was just wondering: are AskHR preview and prod designed to run under the same BTP subaccount by default? So, both share same "Cloud Portal Service" application.
Thanks so much for your help!
Nick
Hi Nick,
Thank you very much !!
Please be informed that you cannot map the preview and prod system to the same sub-account as it requires 1: 1 mapping even though they share the same CPS application.
Thanks,
Arpitha
Hi Arpitha,
When I create first subaccount for AskHR preview app, Cloud Portal Service is by default in the subaccount but this is not the same case in prod subaccount.
Does this mean the AskHR production tenant will use the CPS from the test subaccount, or do we need to subscribe to an additional CPS for the prod subaccount?
Thanks!
Nick